TSA Ends Mandatory Shoe Removal at Security Checks
The TSA will stop requiring travelers to remove their shoes during security checks in U.S. airports, a policy in place for nearly twenty years. This change aims to reduce wait times and enhance the passenger experience. Other security measures will remain in place.
The Transportation Security Administration announced a significant policy change on Tuesday, revealing that travelers will no longer need to remove their shoes during security checks at U.S. airports. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the end of this longstanding and unpopular requirement.
The TSA's shoe removal policy has been a fixture since August 2006, implemented to bolster safety measures against explosives following Richard Reid's failed attempt in 2001 to detonate explosives concealed in his sneakers. Secretary Noem emphasized that this policy shift is expected to streamline the security process, substantially lowering passenger wait times and enhancing the overall travel experience.
While the shoe removal requirement has been scrapped, other security protocols remain unchanged, including identity verification and Secure Flight vetting. PreCheck members, children under 12, and seniors over 75 have long been exempt from the shoe removal mandate.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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